Machine foot and anchorage



April 7, 1951 L. E. LENTZ 2,549,692

MACHINE FOOT AND ANCHORAGE Filed April 23. 1947 INVENTOR LA W/Pf N61 5 151/72 ATTORNEY leaf or a drop leaf desk.

Patented AP 1951 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE 2,549,692 MACHINE FOOT AND ANCHORAGE Iiawrence E. Lentz, New Canaan, Conn., assignor to Underwood Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 23, 1947, Serial No. 743,253

This invention relates to sound and shock absorbing feet for typewriting and other ofiice machines, as well as to machine anchoring devices accommodating such machines for retirement into concealment in drop leaf desks.

It is one object of the invention to provide an economically manufacturable, efficient sound deadening foot suitable for typewriting and other office machines.

It is another object of the invention to provide efficient, economically manufacturable means suitable to locate and anchor a machine on a drop Further it is an object of the invention to provide a combination machine-locating and anchorage-means, the use and operation of which will be easily understood by everyone, and which is rugged in structure, and will be convenient in use.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide machine anchorage means serving in efficiently effective cooperation with sound deadening machine feet to locate the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide efficient machine locating and anchoring means which permit ready and convenient removal, as well as convenient replacement of the machine on a supporting board of the drop-leaf type.

In conjunction with all the above noted objects it is a further object to provide machine anchorage devices which do in no manner have a detrimental effect on the noise reducing service rendered by resilient machine feet.

Referring now to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation showing the left side of a typewriter associated with a leaf of a desk by novelsound deadening feet and by novel typewriter anchorage and locating means,

Figure 2 shows the machine locating and anchorage means of Figure 1 and its associated typewriter foot in frontal elevation,

Figure 3 is a plan view and illustrates a drop leaf of a desk having machine anchorage and locating means attached thereto,

Figure 4 depicts schematically in side elevational aspect a typewriter lowered into a retired position in a desk, the typewriter being held by the machine anchorage means of the invention, and

Figure 5 shows the novel foot featured herein under no-load condition, that is in a state prevailing when it is lifted off a supporting surface.

In the drawings the reference numeral I0 designates a typewriter or typewriter frame. In Figure 1 Claim. (Cl. 24824) 1,0nly the lower part of the right side of the frame Ill is shown. A front and a rear foot I l are respectively secured to frame lugs l2 and I3 reaching inwardly at the bottom of each side of the frame.

These four feet may be all of identical structure, and each comprises a body of resilient material, such as fairly resilient rubber, having a largeexpanse base portion l6 and having rising therefrom a smaller diameter upper portion II which is covered by a cap [8 of rigid material, preferably steel. Said base IB of the foot body has at its underside a centrally located cavity leaving a widespread machine resting fringe 2|. The foot body, as well as its cap [8, may be of round contour, as illustrated, but other shapes may be employed to suit the aesthetic taste. The foot body I5 has a central bore or perforation to accommodate a foot securing element 23 in the form of a shouldered screw. This screw has a reduced, threaded portion I9 extending through a central perforation in the cap [8, and into the respective frame lugs l2 or l3. The shoulder of the screw skirt 26 forming a socket having a cylindrical interior in which the cylindrical exterior of said reduced, small diameter body portion l1 fits slidingly for vertical displacement relative to the skirt 26, and whereby the foot body is stabilized and reinforced horizontally. The reduced body portion I! extends vertically into solid contact with the cap l8 in an area closely about the screw 23 but has an annular downward offset or recess ex:- ternally of said area within said cap [8, as at 21, thereby to allow the cylindrical exterior of the reduced body portion [1 to flex upwardly inside of the cap skirt 25 when the load of the machine is borne by the feet as shown in Figure 1. While relaxed, that is while not under load, the resilient foot body is in the condition shown in Figure 5 and there is an appreciable clearance above the annular recess 21 in the cap l8. In Figure 1, the machine rests resiliently supported by the several foot bodies, such bodies being allowed to sag within the widespread resting fringe 2| provided for by the base cavities 29. The widespread resting fringe gives widespread contact. and good traction upon any supporting surface the machine may be standing. It will be observed that the skirts 26 of the several foot caps function to stabilize the machine horizontally but do not rob the foot of vertical resiliency. The feet of the invention have thus great vibration damping and insulating effect, without sacrificing horizontal stability.

The typewriter equipped with the feet just de scribed may be standing on any straight supporting surface, but in accordance with a further object of the invention, the described feet are also devisediffor novel cooperation with novel, simple machine locating and anchoring means that will facilitate retirement of the typewriter into concealed position in a drop leaf desk 28, as depicted in Figure 4. The drop deaf deskincludes a tiltable machine supporting leaf 29 which for use of the machine is movable to a .:horizontal position about a pivot axis indicated at eil.

Said machine locating and anchoring means comprise for each of the two front 'feet 11, a foot-receiving pocket device 3|. Each of said pocket devices comprises, a bottom or floor-panel 32, and a wall structure rising therefrom which consists of two upreaching :side 'walls or tabs 33 andarear wallnrtab .34. Said side tabs -3'3xhave each an inwardly :reaching flange 35, see Figure "2, which overlies with some clearance an outward :brim 36 formed :onithe foot .ca'p. Each of said pocket :devices is securable to the machine sup- "POIlZiOI drop leaf ".29 by a screw 'or bolt 37, anda time 1138 projecting downwardly'from each fixture Sis capable of "indenting the supporting leaf to prevent :rotation of .the fixture about the screw 37.

When the typewriterisin'use it standsupon the leaf sor support 2'9 with the :front feet located in thepockets :ofsaidfixtures :3 I said two front feet being confined horizontally .on three sides by said :walls :33, .34.. Buring 11816 .of the machine the flanges .35 :of said fixture do in no manner re- .strict :oriimpede the:f.eet.from-yielding vertically.

However when the machine is being retired into tilted position in the desk, as shown in Figure '4, :said vflanges 3,5 in cooperation with .brims 33 formed on the two caps 18 of the two front feet, and :by reason of the broad foot base 16 being contacting the rear flange 134,, serve to :hold or anchor the machine against raising from the :11?

tiltable desk leaf 12 9,. .In-effect the :machine .11 angs securely [by its front feet'in the pocket devices 31 which preferably are formed .of sheet steel. The said brims fit of the foot caps are sufficiently spaced from the top of the base t6 .so that under .the load .of the machine the brim wvill not she contacting. The fronts of the pocket devices are :open for the purpose of placing the machine into anchored position, the machine being handled toslide the two front feet .IJ from the front, rearwardly, so that the large foot bases 16 are bordered on three .sides by the .walls 33,, .34.

It will .be noted that the pocket devices will give rugged service, cannot ,get out of order, are easily installable, and an operator will .have no difiiculty to make use thereof. No parts need to be manipulated and all that the operator needs to know is that the front feet must be located in the pockets. The machine is also readily removable without difficulty.

There may be used in addition to said anchorage devices 3| two upright cups 39, see Figure 3, wherein to locate the :machine'by its rear feet I l against forward displacement out of the pocket devices 3| These locating cups 39 are not a necessity but give assurance that the machine is :properlylocated. Screws or bolts 40 serve to hold the cups upon the desk leaf 29.

If said re'arcups 39 are used in combination 'with "the anchorage devices H, the operator in 'placingthemachine sees to it that the rear feet are held slightly :above the cups while the front feet are slid rearwardly into the pocket devices 3!. For removing the machine it is required to first lift the rear feet out of the cups and then to move the machine forwardly.

What .is claimed sis:

.A :foot :body of a:resilient material for use in supporting :a machine resiliently, comprising, a relatively large-expanse base portion headed shy at smaller diameter cylindrical upper portion, the cylindrical exterior :of the smaller diameter .portion being adapted to ifit slidingly a cylindrical interior of a socket of a foot cap of rigidmaiterial, said base portion having a shallow bottom ecavity leaving :a :relatively'inarrow perimeter por- 'tion for contact upon a supporting plane, the foot body further having a vertical :tcentral bore for accommodation ."of .a securing screw which is adapted to :pass :up'wardly through :a central :perforation in the :foot cap, vsaid central :boife shaving an enlargement :above "said carity to Irercess the head .of the securing screw, and the cylindrical smaller diameter portion of the body having .at the top an annular recess leaving a :raised "central area around the bore for sole loading contact against the cap in the socket thereof. supporting contac'ttagainst the cap in the socket thereof.

LAWRENCE E. LEN I Z.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: v

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name :Date

880,683 Merrow 'Mar. '3, 1908 1,551,516 McGovern Aug. .25., .1925 1,564,758 Crawley n Dec. '8, 1925 .1;83Q;058 ,I-Ielmond Nov. .3, 1 9.3 1 1,911,010 lBrawley IMay ,23, v1933 2,150,028 .Dobson Mar. "7., 1939 2,367,826 Kubaugh Jan. 23., 1945 2 4511158 .Markowitz Dec. '21, .1948 

